Shadow Edge
by K31
Summary: ~A peek into the warped mind of Reiji Kageyama~
1. I'm Human Too

**NOTES:** This is an alternative history fic featuring Reiji Kageyama's childhood. For better visualization, click here. A big thank you to Ivash-kun for supporting me while I did this piece of nothing and Chill-san for giving me a solution to the BIG problem in my fic .

**©:** Reiji and all Gatekeepers stuff here is not mine (duh!) so if you hate them sue their creator and not me. And although Reiji is my evil twin, we are **NOT** blood-related (but he is _still_ my evil twin).

I'm Human Too

"Humans are stupid!"

I looked outside my window and saw it all: the insects selling food, the scum drinking down sake at the corner, and my idiotic younger brother who just went by my back. He's pathetic. He thinks I am unaware of the gift he's been trying to hide from me, the one for tomorrow. Why is he  like that? Answer me! He tries to hide something from you, yet you know he's going to show it to you anyway at some later time. What is he trying to do? Prevent the inevitable? Hah! Just another proof of how stupid humanity is. And why do they give presents in the first place? They say it's to show their love—bah! These presents will never last, at some point they'll be destroyed and vanish from the earth forever. That's why I never give gifts… it only emphasizes that the person will perish sometime in the future.

If humans really do care, then why is it that the ones closest to them are the ones they hurt? We pride ourselves too much. Why can't we be more like… like the animals? They live according to their life pattern; they do not seek for more than what they have. They do not make themselves superior, they just fight to get what they want and if they don't get it—they search for another. The things they fight for are non-superficial. These objects tend to be vital elements like a mate, food and water.

Speaking of water, all this thinking has gotten me thirsty. And where can I get it? If I were a sensible animal, I would have depended on Mother Nature and searched for a stream. But no, these pests had to make things _easier_ and created ready-to-drink water all bottled up in your kitchen. Hah! Lazy bums.

Of course, to get to the kitchen, I had to walk. Each step I made made me wonder more why the heck did humans have to invent vehicles. Mother Nature intended us to walk and run so she gave us feet. She gave us what we needed. It was as fate had given. Ducks are given webbed feet, horses are given hooves—but you don't see them complaining! Why can't we follow the Laws of Nature? How come we subject ourselves to laws made by fellow men? We should have known that by whatever degree nature would always have its toll over human. It is all because man is full of pride.

The kitchen wasn't empty. Mother was there. _She _was there. Oh, how I_ hate _her. She is the reason why I was forced to enter this world of parasites! But then again, I should be thankful. After all, she brought to the world the being that will crush these insects down into the dirt, as they rightfully deserve.

Last night, as I was watching the television, an escape-box of humanity into a world where fantasy rules over reality, my imbecilic sibling came in with his recorder in hand screaming, "Reiji-kun kakkoi! Reiji-kun kakkoi!" but to no avail the recorder refused to work. He then tried something new, "Reiji-kun baka! Reiji-kun baka!" and the recorder went off repeating his senseless words. She, the reason of my being, came in and rubbed it to my face how intelligent the recorder was. "Bah! That contraption has more brains than the two of you combined!!!" "Oh, is that any way to treat your mother?" "YES! The only just way there is!" and I stormed out of the house, hoping to see neither one of them ever again. But of course, even humans need shelter, so I was forced to return.

I looked at her again, still with the same hatred I felt last night, and wished that looks could really kill. Maybe someday they will, when true justice prevails. With every sip of water I take, I began to believe it more, "Humans are filled 3/4 with water, but they are full over 100% of pride".


	2. Wielding Weapons

**NOTES:** After almost 4 years, this fic underwent a major overhaul to prevent it from getting scrapped. I seriously considered deleting it, but the idea behind it was so original I just _had_ to keep it.  
  
**©:** Reiji and all Gatekeepers stuff here is not mine (duh!) so if you hate them sue their creator and not me. And although Reiji is my evil twin, we are **NOT** blood-related (but he is _still_ my evil twin).

Wielding Weapons

Today is my 10th birthday, yet the vermin around me are making a fuss over the party, not me. Dull-wits; they've got their priorities all wrong.  
  
I have to get out of here.  
  
I tried to make my way out of the crowd loitering around my house, with little hope of making it to my roo—  
  
"Reiji! You better get dressed for your party or you won't have it!"  
Then I won't. Who would want to have vermin crawling around your house enjoying themselves? Not me, that's for sure. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, they can have fun until they are rightfully crushed.  
  
"Yo, Reiji! Great party!"  
Bah! It's that Mr. Know-it-All again. Why the heck is that flea inside my household? He feels superior so he invites himself in and makes it seem as if it was the most ordinary thing to do. Smart tactic, bad move—he doesn't know who he's messing with.  
  
"Great champagne, Reiji-kun!"  
Hn… its just water made flavorful with poison. The toxic is not effective now but your bug eyes can't see it— water is what water does. Drink water and it may save you by cleansing you of impurities. Dishonor water by making it impure and you will face a shorter life span.  
  
"Uh… Reiji-sama? I need to use the little boys' room if you get what I mean…"  
Finally! Someone who surrenders to the laws of nature! Good my little beetle, go and have your peace, "Third door to the right along the left corridor."  
  
Somehow I managed to make it to my room. My only sanctuary. It was a reflection of who I was, who I am, and what I am yet to be. There on my bedside, alone and wandering aroung in its cage is my pet, a spider I had caught in the backyard. Every day mother tries to take it away, and every night I take it back. For many years, perhaps until now, I have been but an observer. Limited by my age and society. Unable to do anything else.  
  
Under my bed is the corpse of a butterfly. When I had found it, ants were already sprawling about it, tearing its flesh into bits for food. It had moved me. It was a far cry from a pang of pity. In the butterfly I had seen myself. It was of my own kind.  
  
I reached under my bed, wanting a glimpse of the thing. It had been quite a while since I cleaned all the ants off it. It might have already given to natural decay. I felt around and pulled out--an old book I have never seen before.  
  
It looks odd, it feels odd, and it smells awful too. I flipped through the pages until I was totally absorbed. It was a biography of a fictional character, a character who, after several assassination attempts, was killed because his beliefs were considered wild and insane just because the majority didn't agree with them. But no, he was right! Tokoma Oshishi was indeed right! He just forgot to mention one little detail: human is scum.  
  
Oshishi was amazing. He could make life a living hell for his enemies yet still create an inferno of trepidation to those who love him. He was great with the sword; he could yield it and destroy everything in sight! He fought for what he believed was the truth, but in the end the immature world surrounding him refused to accept and destroyed him.  
  
Aah… how I wish I could yield my own Oshishi sword. Not a true sword of a steel blade, but a sword of power which will lead to the destruction of the pests around me.  
  
Conclusively, I closed the book after my little rendezvous with aspiration. I could hear steps coming from outside.  
  
"Child, go to the temple before sunset! You'd want Buddha to hear your birthday wish, ne?"  
  
Hah! Even Buddha prides himself. If I ask him to give me his powers, would he do that? No, he'd refuse competition. Right now, I will just praise him as someone of high powers.  
  
The sun was beginning to set when I got to the temple. It was only a short distance, but I wanted to be away from the house as long as possible. Inside was all kinds off fruit, gold and other kinds of kinks being offered. Hah! These parasites give to what they don't see but to those visible, even the needy, they don't. To some, they even loath.  
  
I kneeled down in front of a huge golden Buddha when most of the pests started to leave. Finally, I was alone. Good.  
  
Buddha, my wish may seem silly now, but hear me out first! I wish for power. Not political nor monetary power, I ask for the power to create a mirror which will reflect to the world how it truly is. A portal through which humans will stop being such idealists and see everything in clarity. And if they remain to be stubborn... the power to crush them.  
  
I prayed as hard as I can, even though in the back of my mind I knew I was talking to nothing but air. Yet somehow, the air around me was getting tighter. It was slowly holding me in its grasp, almost to suffocation. My eyes started to give way… what was once an idol clad in gold became a silhouette of sawdust against black. And it was slowly being eaten away… giving way to the darkness.

**K3:** Tokoma Oshishi is Makoto Shishio, just in case you got confused. And no, Shishio-domo belongs to Watsuki-san so if you think Shishio's great & all chase him and not me.


	3. Alliance

**NOTES:** The purpose of this fic isn't to hate Reiji more, but for you to read what I think goes on in his mind. All of this is subjected to my whim—if I want to make him a girl, I CAN! This chapter goes a completely different way from the series because I kinda wrote this before I had the chance to watch the final eps ;

**©:** Reiji and all Gatekeepers stuff here is not mine (duh!) so if you hate them sue their creator and not me. And although Reiji is my evil twin, we are **NOT** blood-related (but he is _still_ my evil twin).

**Alliance**

It was just black.

It, meaning everything.

I think I opened my eyes. I think I tried to feel around my body. There was a dull pain somewhere, but I couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. It could just be my mind, or my whole body could be aching all over, I couldn't tell. I couldn't even tell if I really had opened my eyes. I couldn't tell if I was breathing, nor if my heart was beating. Was I dead? I could be, and the feeling would probably be no different. Is this what death feels like? Its not enough. The scum deserve a much worse fate.

"Why are you in such a hurry to die? Is my illusion that good?"

I searched around the blackness from where the voice came from. At least I confirmed that I had opened my eyes; In place of where the voice should be was a creature vile, so vile. Bulging eyes, wrinkling skin, and deformations all over. It looked as if it had clothes on. And on its head, or at least what I thought should be the head, was… a crown?

Well, no matter what it was, I can be nastier. I need to be, if the vermin be crushed; "Apparently it isn't because it didn't do a thing about your face."

The bulging eyes bulged out even more and glowered saffron red, "You dare insult the great Count Devil? You insignificant human!"

"HALT! I shall not tolerate non-discipline!"

I couldn't see anything, but I felt a new presence step into the black void. I twisted my head around trying to associate a face with the voice, and all my eyes met up with were gleams. Gleams of metal.

"Excuse us my dear human, this Devil here doesn't know when to close his dirty mouth"

"How dare you say such a thing about my greatness! You crud! Your death…"

"Cease this at once!" I couldn't stand it. I didn't know where I was, I didn't know _how_ I was, I couldn't confirm anything to be real, and to top it all off all I _can _see were these two ing fiends arguing amongst themselves completely ignoring me.

"Please calm down human," said the metallic gleam. The more it said the more I could see of it, so I did not dare interrupt. It was dressed like an army general though its body was metallic in most part, "I am known as General Machine, though that is not truly my name. This is what your kind has addressed me as. This whole incident, this is… you are… I don't know how to put it in words that would make sense to you…"

"This is a dream."

The voice this time came from the creature that called himself Count Devil, "In a way, it is an illusion, but at the same time it is real. I wouldn't expect a froth like you to appreciate this prowess but…"

"What he is trying to say is that Earth is a remarkable planet. Rich of minerals, complete in resources, and blessed with plentiful intelligence… yet it is inhabited by unworthy beings. Human beings. These creatures that call themselves superior and have an inclination to hierarchy. Those that abuse this Earth, abuse the life in it, but most of all abuse themselves. We're just trying to do the justice here, by taking away what humans don't deserve, and giving it to those who do. Think of us as, from your literature, say… Robin Hood?"

I just laughed. Laughed from the absurdity of it all. Laughed out of fear. Laughed because of the poor anecdote. Laughed, because I didn't know how else to react. This whole thing wasn't making sense. Communicating with aliens didn't make sense. Existing in a dream-like world in reality didn't make sense. Seeing and hearing but nothing more didn't make sense. However…

Earth being too good for humans made sense. Earth being abused made sense. Humans being undeserving and downright mediocre made sense. Everything they had said made sense, even though their existence didn't.

"…And why do I need to know about this? If you're going to do it sci-fi all the way, you should be just going for an all-out invasion instead of bothering to negotiate with me."

I just sneered. At least, I hoped they knew what a sneer was supposed to be. Sure, they were making sense. But the whole point of talking to me, didn't.

"That is what we wanted to ask you," said General Machine, "we were discussing our campaign when you broke your own porthole into our dimensionless space."

"Me?"

"Yes, you."

"How?"

"Mmhm…" murmured the General. "I'm not sure exactly, though Count Devil here might have some answers, considering this space is of _his_ creation."

"Well…" Count Devil rubbed a gnarly finger against his chin, pausing dramatically in thought, "I am able to make this space because, aside from my powers, I wanted to. You must have had an extreme desire to create your own space, or to escape from your own, and this yearning of yours must have pulled out the powers needed from within you…"

"And what?" the General continued, "It came true?"

"Yes. In a way…" pausing for a light laugh, "his dream came true."

"So you're telling me I wanted all this?"

"Probably. Sometimes we want things subconsciously, or they may already be in front of us in disguise, but it is _your_ want—and therefore your responsibility."

So this was what I wanted? To be alone with a pair of aliens and without any knowledge of what's going on? I remember I asked Budd—

I asked Buddha for power.

I asked Buddha for the power to show humanity how inferior it was—and if they'd be too stubborn, the power to crush them.

Having these aliens take away earth would show humans how much we take it for granted. They will only realize how important something is once its taken from then.

And if that doesn't work…

I set my hands in front of my face and set them ablaze. Out of my own willpower. My hands remained embalmed in black flames bordering between lively and deathly.

I'll crush them.

For the first time, I smiled genuinely, and I threw the smile towards the two fiends—friends.

"I think the boy's caught on…" said Count Devil as he returned the smile.

"Yes, but I wish to do this formally." General Machine adjusted his collar, then coughed accordingly, "Mr… Mr…"

"Kageyama."

"Mr. Kageyama, I request an alliance among the three of us in achieving the same goal: that is, to take the earth from humanity. We ask this of you in the need of someone to guide us, someone who knows how these beings works. You have presented yourself to us, proving that you are indeed worthy of our cause."

I had no doubt. "I accept." 

Then everything was caught in a cloud of darkness once more. But this time I was not worried, as I waited patiently for the gate of power to open.


	4. Conclusion

**NOTES: **I couldn't come up with a good ending, sorry. In my pathetic attempt, I tried to produce something that would be so typical of a regular tv episode…

**©:** You'd think that by the 4th chapter you'd get this down by now…

Conclusion

Where was I?

I looked up and saw a familiar ceiling. I looked around and saw a desk and a dresser. I looked at my feet and saw the rest of my body covered up in blanket.

Wait—I can see.

That means I have left that dimensionless world. That means General Machine and Count Devil… they're no longer here. That means…

It was probably all a dream.

I plopped myself back down against my pillow, in a faint hope that if I stare at the ceiling long enough it would give me answers.

And then I felt it again, the feeling of an icy flame.

And then I let my hands do the talking once more, and saw them burning in the cold.

It wasn't a dream.

I felt a smile form around my face.

"I could get used to this…"

Ah, but why was I made human, if I will be the one to cause to their destruction? Maybe… perhaps… it was so I could see what being a human is like. So I can see their strengths, their weaknesses, their beginning,** and how to destroy them**. I understand it now… I am the one. Pests, prepare for the coming of the black night, that you may never see dawn once more.

…and so…

Reiko Minna-san, did you get the moral lesson of this story?  
Hideki That water is really important and we should never belittle it!  
Saemi That illusions can be SO powerful they can defeat you!  
Takeshi That ogres are not good!  
Ochiai-san That's not exactly it kids… ne, Reiko-chan?  
Reiko Saa… the lesson is that your hands were made for playing on the piano and not to play in fire with!  
minna-san sweatdrop --; 


End file.
